Main menu

FAQs

Can I get grades or progress reports for my student during the semester?

Student records, including grades, progress reports, and student behavior are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). FERPA prohibits educational institutions from sharing information about a student without the student’s written permission. You can learn more about FERPA.

The UA recognizes that many students want to share this information with their parents and has several mechanisms for the student to do this. Each UA student has a web based system that manages their academic information called UAccess. Within UAccess all students have the option of creating multiple guest accounts, referred to as Guest Link. We encourage all students to create a Guest Link account, but do not require students to create an account.

If you are the parent/s of a dependent student and meet the requirements of Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, you may examine your student’s education record without their consent. You must read, complete and submit the Access to Student Education Records by Parents of Dependent Students form to the Office of Curriculum and Registration. Please make copies of this form, as one must be submitted for each term in which you wish to have access to your student’s records.

How Can I verify full time enrollment status for my student?

What you're seeking is called a verification of enrollment. Some insurance companies will accept a print out from UAccess Student while others will require a more official statement. If you think your insurance company will accept a copy from UAccess you can produce one by:

Have your student log-in to UAccess Student

Under "Academics", choose "Enrollment Verification"

Fill in your desired options, and click "Submit"

Click "Printer Friendly Version" to print. (Note: you must allow/disable pop-ups to do this)

If you have further questions about this process, or you need a more official statement, please visit the Registrar's Office Verification of Enrollment page.

What are the dates for finals/end of the semester/dorm closing/etc.?

Dates for final exams, end of the semester activities, and residence hall closures can be found on the UA Calendars & Events page.

On this site you can view calendars of important dates for future academic years. Please note that future academic year schedules are subject to change.

When do you notify parents in emergencies?

Parents are part of University emergency response communications whenever there is an imminent threat to student health, safety, and security. When an event meets this criterion the UA notifies parents through the e-newsletter distribution list of the UA Parents & Family Association. If you are not a member of this list, you can visit their website (uafamily.arizona.edu) and click on the "Join Today" link. In addition, sign up for UAlert, a free service that delivers emergency alerts to registered UA students , faculty and staff – as well as their friends and family – via their cell phones.

Parents of students individually affected by an emergency will likely receive personal outreach from a member of the Dean of Students Office.

In both cases, we may not be able to share all of the details of the emergency with you, but we will make sure you are aware of university response to both individual students and the larger campus community.

When is Family Weekend?

Family weekend is October 13-15th, 2017. Family Weekend is a wonderful weekend held each fall on the UA campus for a student’s entire family. Thousands of families return to spend time with their students and faculty, tour campus, and cheer on the football team to a victory. Family Weekend’s new website will be April 1, 2017. The site will give you up to date activities for the next Family Weekend and is the place to register to attend activities.

What is included in the registration price for Family Weekend?

Each year Family Weekend activities vary based on the feedback from previous year’s events. Registration for Family Weekend includes access to campus meals, special events with faculty, and other campus activities designed for students and their families. You can view the entire schedule for the next Family Weekend and register online at familyweekend.arizona.edu.

Are football tickets included in the registration price for Family Weekend?

Football tickets are not included in the price of Family Weekend. Family members who wish to attend the game must purchase tickets through the athletic department by calling 520-621-CATS or visiting the athletic department online at www.arizonawildcats.com/tickets. Please note that parents and family members are not allowed to sit in the Zona Zoo Student Section of Arizona Stadium. If you want your student to sit with you during the game, you will need to purchase an additional ticket for your student.

How can my student get financial aid?

The UA awards financial aid on an annual basis to all students who apply via the FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA form is available beginning January 1 of each year for the following academic year and can be found online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The UA encourages students to file their FAFSA by February 14 for the following year to be eligible for the maximum amount of financial aid possible.

The amount and type of financial aid the UA can offer depends on the results of the FAFSA, as determined by the Federal government.

My student is being treated unfairly by an instructor. What can s/he do?

Students are always encouraged to visit the instructor during office hours to talk about the difficulties they are having. Often a simple conversation between a student and a faculty member can resolve any difficulty. If that is not the case, students have several options including meeting with the faculty member’s department head to share the concern, seeking advice from a university Ombudsperson (trained problem solvers) at ombuds.arizona.edu or visiting the Dean of Students Office to seek advice from a Dean.

I just looked my child's roommate up on Facebook! I don't want him/her rooming with that person! How do I get him/her moved?

Please bear in mind that people’s on-line personas may not reflect their actual views or behaviors. Give your student a chance to get to know their new roommate, before initiating a hall transfer request. Part of the college experience is to get to know and learn from those who are different from us, so we encourage your student to keep an open mind about their roommate.

My student is having difficulty with their roommate, how can you help?

Many students have difficulty with their roommate. It is part of the college experience to learn how to compromise and adapt to others ways of living. It is common that there are bumps along the way and Residence Life has many options to help students learn how to work out their problems.

First, all students were given the opportunity to fill out a Roommate Lifestyle Agreement with their roommate at the start of school. This agreement covers a wide range of issues about having a roommate and can be revisited any time during the year. Your student’s Resident Assistant (RA) or Community Director (CD) has a copy of the agreement.

Second, if revisiting the Roommate Lifestyle Agreement does not help, then students can work with their RA or CD to mediate problems.

We encourage parents to be supportive of their students, but to allow students the space to work out problems on their own. Parents can be best supportive by encouraging students to take advantage of the resources above when having difficulty with a roommate.

What do you do to ensure my student's safety?

The UA takes the safety of all its community members seriously. At the heart of our safety plan is the UA Police Department. UAPD is a full service police department, not a security force, and are authorized throughout the State of Arizona. UAPD exclusively patrols the campus and the immediate surrounding areas on foot, bicycle, and via marked patrol cars.

Campus is also marked with hundreds of blue light telephones. These phones are a beacon in an emergency. Any individual that pushes the button on the phone will automatically be connected with UAPD Emergency Dispatch and the strobe at the top of the phone will sound, indicating to all in the area that an emergency is occurring.

Students are only as safe as they allow themselves to be. We encourage students to always travel in groups after dark, lock their possessions securely, and not to give out personal information.

SAFE RIDE: (520) 621-SAFE offers free rides around campus and the immediate area for students after dark.

How do you keep my student informed about safe travel practices to Mexico and other countries?

Students are frequently educated in residence halls and in advertisements in the Arizona Daily Wildcat about how to be smart when they travel to Mexico. Like being safe on campus, common sense thinking will allow students to be safe in Mexico. The UA does not encourage students to travel to Mexico for social reasons and does not sponsor any trips to Mexico for social reasons.

Do you have a shuttle service or ride service so my student doesn't have to walk at night?

ASUA, the student government, operates the SAFE RIDE service for students. The ASUA Safe Ride serves the needs of the University community by providing a free, safe ride for students when traveling alone on campus at night and by providing educational workshops and programs on campus safety. Safe Ride operates Sunday-Thursday 6:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and Fridays from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Safe Ride does not operate on Saturdays. Students need to call 621-SAFE for a ride.

UA Campus Health (www.health.arizona.edu) offers a wide range of services from medical exams, doctor and specialist visits, and prescription drug service. General Campus Health services help students through the common colds, flu, and other normal illnesses.

Campus Health operates during regular university business hours, Monday-Friday. After hours or on weekends, students can call an after hours line for medical advice 520-570-7898. Students in medical emergencies should always dial 911 no matter what time of day.

My child has called me and told me that drinking/drug use are out of control on campus. What do you do to address this?

Consumption of alcohol and use of illegal drugs do take place on the UA campus, like all college campuses. These activities are not encouraged by the administration and students are exposed to a multi-faceted educational campaign that focuses on the negative aspects of alcohol and drugs on their academic, personal, and physical wellness. These programs have been recognized by the US Department of Education as model programs due to the rate of success they have had in changing student behavior. Campus parties are subject to strict regulations regarding the serving of alcohol only to individuals of legal age and limit the amount of alcohol that can be served. Illegal drugs are met with a zero tolerance policy on campus and in the residence halls.

When is Homecoming?

Homecoming is typically held in mid-fall on the UA Campus and is a great time for alumni and other friends of the University to return to campus.

Homecoming 2016 will be October 26th-28th, 2017!

Are there Airport Transportation Services available for my student?

There are several options for airport transportation.

If your student is flying out of the Tucson International Airport (about 15 minutes from campus) they may arrange for door to airport shuttle service via Arizona Stagecoach, (520) 889-1000, or by utilizing a local taxi cab service. Several city bus lines that connect to the UA also serve the Tucson International Airport.

If your student is flying out of Phoenix Sky Harbor (about 2 hours from campus) they may arrange for shuttle service to the Phoenix Airport via the Arizona Shuttle, (800)-888-2749. A second option is the intercity Greyhound bus, plan to leave earlier with some extra time as there may be delays or cancellations.